Album review: Jordin Sparks' 'Battlefield'

Coming off her certified platinum debut, 19-year-old Jordin Sparks shows evidence of a transformation from a girl into a young woman on her latest disc ‘Battlefield.’ With help from veteran songwriters/producers like Ryan Tedder, Claude Kelly and Benny Blanco, Sparks proves that when you surround yourself with experienced, top-notch people, the product is very rich in quality.

Sparks chooses the bouncy, feel-good “Walking on Snow” to begin her album, which reminds listeners of what they loved about the self-titled predecessor. This makes it a little easier to swallow the more grown-up tracks that follow. But before arriving at the “Beyoncé meets Rihanna” style that Sparks described ‘Battlefield’ as consisting of, listeners are met with the album’s first single and title track.

“Battlefield” is a stylized, inspirational call to armor in the game of love complete with a ringing chorus that includes classic Tedder repetition (“Why does love always feel like a battlefield / a battlefield / a battlefield”). This track, which is different than anything that was found on ‘Jordin Sparks,’ opens the door to “Don’t Let It Go to Your Head,” a cover of the 2005 Fefe Dobson song that marks a clear departure from Sparks’ earlier material. Synths are in heavy use here, as they are throughout the album.

This new dancy, upbeat sound is a common theme on ‘Battlefield,’ as it is thread through songs such as the second single, “S.O.S. (Let the Music Play)” and the fun “Emergency (911).” On “S.O.S.” Sparks sounds mature yet immature at the same time, as lyrics like “That crazy chick don’t know who she’s messin’ with / look in her eyes she’s mentally undressing him” mark a new turn for the artist, but the Rihanna-esque sampling of Shannon’s 80’s anthem “Let the Music Play” helps keep the song youthful. “Emergency,” which was co-written by Sparks, is enjoyable (“Why don’t you call me? / aren’t you my boyfriend? / you were supposed to be here like an hour ago”) but does nothing in terms of building her musical repertoire.

In the face of this new sound, it is on the mid-tempos where Sparks’ vocals shine. “It Takes More” is a high point, as the pre-chorus transitions beautifully into a simple yet meaningful chorus. It is the seventh track, however, where Sparks delivers her best performance on ‘Battlefield.’ “No Parade” includes everything a hit song should possess, and her pristine vocals that reach amazing heights in the final chorus are the icing on the cake. The lyrics are also powerful (“There was no parade / no lights flashing / no song to sing along the way / there was no parade / no waves crashing / there was no one else around for days”).

On the ballad front, Sparks really tones it down on “Was I the Only One” and “Faith,” both of which she had a hand in writing. “Only One” remains fairly mellow throughout the song’s 3:21 length and finishes on a soft note, whereas “Faith” builds throughout the song’s duration and proves that Sparks is not only a talented singer, but she shines as a songwriter as well, as lyrics like “When the sky is darkest you can see the stars / when you fall the hardest you find how strong you are” erase the doubts raised in lyrics found in “Emergency.”

Although ‘Battlefield’ maintains a generally similar sound, Sparks experiments with a few styles that are not necessarily her forte. On the T-Pain-produced “Watch You Go,” Sparks experiments with a more urban sound that complements her vocals surprisingly well. Although it is a little different than the rest of the album’s offerings, it holds its ground against the rest of the tracks’ poppier sound. On “Let It Rain,” however, the guitar riffs just do not work out very well, and the song comes off as being more of a lamb than a lion in terms of rock edge.

In a culmination of all the sounds and styles found on ‘Battlefield,’ Sparks brings it home on “The Cure,” which is the most beautiful offering on the album. Her vocals are pure and angelic, and the simple song structure maximizes the effect felt on listeners.

The deluxe edition includes the bonus tracks “Papercut” and “Postcard,” the former of which Sparks also co-wrote. Neither song is amazing, but they are definitely an extra incentive to spend the extra few bucks.

Looking back at what Jordin Sparks has to offer on ‘Battlefield,’ it is amazing to think of how far she has come since winning ‘Idol’ back in 2007. The fact that she has been able to harness her vocal talents and mature in such a short span of time is remarkable, and her ability to conform to the style of music that’s in at the moment while maintaining her originality and individuality. Although it is not perfect, ‘Battlefield’ should be looked to as a model album for up and coming artists to draw influence from.

Battlefield drops on Tues., July 21, and is now available to pre-order on iTunes and Amazon.com.